The Greater Good

Ciaphas Cain #9

by Sandy Mitchell

The new hardback Ciaphas Cain adventureWhen the world of Quadravidia comes under attack by the insidious tau, only one man can defeat the aliens and save the planet in the Emperor’s name: the legendary Hero of the Imperium, Commissar Ciaphas Cain. When the aliens call for a ceasefire, Cain expects the worst, and his fears are answered in the form of the dread menace of the tyranids. As a hive fleet approaches Quadravidia, Cain must try to forge an alliance between the Imperium and the tau – but can he truly trust the inscrutable xenos?

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Fantasy, Comedy, Audiobook, Space Opera

311 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Sandy Mitchell is a pseudonym of Alex Stewart, who has been a full-time writer since the mid nineteen eighties. The majority of his work as Sandy has been tie-in fiction for Games Workshop's Warhammer fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 science fiction lines. The exceptions have been a novelisation of episodes from the high tech thriller series Bugs, for which he also worked as a scriptwriter under his own name, some Warhammer roleplaying game material, and a scattering of short stories and magazine articles.

His hobbies include the martial arts of Aikido and Iaido, miniature wargaming, role-playing games, and pottering about on the family allotment.

He lives in the North Essex village of Earls Colne, with his wife Judith and daughter Hester.

Reviews

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Greater Good" was a very good novel. It continues the adventures of Commissar Ciphas Cain. Ciaphas Cain was a commissar of the Officio Prefectus who was assigned to service with the Astra Militarum and his myriad adventures have earned him the moniker of "Hero of the Imperium".

The thing is, Cain, is, at best, a reluctant hero. While most Commissars are fanatical and damn near suicidal, Cain tends to rather stumble upon grave incidents, and with a combination of bravery, aplomb, and sheer dumb luck has managed to solidify his reputation. Followed by his aide, Jurgen, these two have been smack dab in the middle of some rather large events.

This time, Cain joins Imperial Forces on the world of Quadravidia which has come under attack from the Tau empire. But, in the middle of this conflict, a strange development occurs. The Tau wish to have a truce. A rather interesting setting where we have the Mechanicus, the Imperium and the Tau Empire all working together to stave off an incoming Tyranid Hive Fleet.

As Cain works with Imperial Forces to deal with the threat, he finds certain members of the Mechanicum have other ideas about doing research on the Hive mind. What follows is a typical Cain adventure. Action, dry humor, and a series of strange incidents where Cain somehow dumb-fucks his way to, once again, navigate his way through a crisis to become an Imperial Hero.

While it is always exciting and dark, Cain's trademark wry humor makes this a refreshingly funny tale. $0 K fans will certainly appreciate this, but those who are newer to the series might also enjoy this less grimdark take on a serious situation. Cain is a very cool character.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Greater Good is the latest volume of the Ciaphas Cain series. Set in the Warhammer 40K universe, it follows the adventures of the titular Commissar. Ostensibly a political officer, Ciaphas Cain is a somewhat cowardly figure who continually finds himself in horrifically dangerous situations against the Imperium's worst enemies.

Managing to survive through a combination of luck and a keenly-honed sense of self-preservation, Cain finds himself with a mostly-deserved reputation as a galactic hero. Which, of course, means he's the first called upon whenever things go to hell. It's a neat little premise for a book series and Sandy Mitchell (the pen name of writer alex Stewart) does an excellent job telling always-entertaining stories about Cain's near-brushes with death. Unfortunately, after nine books, the premise is running a bit thin.

Part of this has to do with the de-emphasizing of the secondary characters who accompany Cain on his mission. While we know Cain will survive to become an old man due to the framing narrative, the others provide a sense of danger as well as character arcs that make the books enjoyable.

There's also the fact the enemies we've seen Cain deal with are becoming a bit stale. We've seen Cain deal with Orks, Tyranids, and Necrons on numerous occasions. The change to things like Chaos forces and heretics is something I think we need more mileage from. Likewise, I'd like to see Cain deal with Eldar and Tau. I was hoping this would be a book which dealt extensively with the latter as I'm quite a big fan of the latter and seeing Cain play off them was something I hoped to see. Sadly, this is not the book for that.

The Greater Good has the premise of Commissar Cain participating in a war for an inhabited world being fought between the Imperium and the Tau. Halfway through the latest of their battles, he's contacted by the Tau who want to make a armistice. A swarm of Tyranids is coming to threaten all of them. Making an alliance, Cain also discovers a secret Techpriest project which threatens to either save or destroy all three sides.

I enjoyed the first half of the book a great deal because watching the Imperials deal with the Tau and, especially, converted humans was quite entertaining. I was hoping to see some of Cain's legendary womanizing affect his relationship with their "diplomat" but, sadly, this didn't happen. The second half of the book was less interesting to me as it was mostly devoted to combat against the Tyranids. The battle scenes were entertaining, don't get me wrong, but I would have preferred to get more Tau-Cain interactions.

In conclusion, The Greater Good was an entertaining but not especially memorable entry into the Ciaphas Cain series. There's not much in the way of character development or interactions we haven't seen before. The best moments in the book are those early encounters with the Tau as well as a surprising Genestealer infiltrator's final moments. It's a fun novel but nothing which is a must have. I'd recommend the other volumes in the series over this one for the "Best of Ciaphas Cain."

7.5/10

[Michael Da Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Greater Good is a decent novel, though in my opinion the worst in the Ciaphas Cain series.

I should preface by saying that I am a massive fan of the Cain novels. I think that Mitchell has the best grasp of that mixture of comedy and horror/violence that is the hallmark of the 40k setting. His novels combine scathing wit with really solid action and adventure.

That being said, The Greater Good does follow this formula, but in my opinion, it feels like it is going through the paces. Yes, Cain makes disparaging remarks about his own achievements, to Amberley's chagrin. Yes, Cain makes mention at every opportunity that he was looking for a way to run away from danger. Yes, every time Jurgen walks into the room we are reminded that he smells horrible.

However, all of that feels like we've been there and done that before. The jokes seem tired and repeated, and the whole adventure feels without particular enthusiasm. It was as if the joke has run its course, and it was time to move on. If that's the case, I would be fine. The Cain series stands perfectly fine on its own. However, this slightly-disappointing sequel left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

The promise of this novel, about the Tau and the Greater Good, goes nearly unfulfilled. There is one portion, early on in the novel, when you feel like Cain's going to be sent off on an epic adventure that will truly live up to the title's premise. Then, in about a paragraph, someone else is given the job and Cain's off on another generic, Imperial Guard (er... Astra Militarum?) shoot-em-up. The Tau could have been replaced by any sort of diplomat, snivelling politician, or aloof military official. The Xenos' involvement is minimal, and to be honest, unnecessary.

Perhaps they are setting up for a sequel. Perhaps this was all build-up to a new book, where they will play a bigger role. I can see that, but it doesn't make this one any less bitter to swallow.

However, The Greater Good is still an exciting and competent sci-fi military thriller. It has good action, likeable characters, high stakes, and a satisfying conclusion. It is by no means a poor book, or one you regret reading. It just doesn't live up to the magic of a blue-faced colonist shouting about their "FREEDOM!" or Cain knocking a Khornate Cultist out while shouting about his favourite football team.

[Vigneswara Prabhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, tyranids as main baddies two books in a row? Well, at least we saw the return of the reclaimers; Cain's space marine besties.

The main problem I have with the book, despite it being the standard thoroughfare in the legend of the heroic commissar, is expectations not delivered.

The premise of the book seemed to imply Cain being embroiled with the tau and their messy diplomacy and politics.

And while they do act as the heralds of events defining the plot, except for at the beginning and end, they are conspicuously missing from the story.

I'm not offended by the false marketing cover, because it plays into the propaganda nature of Cain the hero. Who fought with the vile xenos race for the good of the imperium. You can imagine such posters being displayed on recruitment world's or whatever passes for public squares in an imperial planet used by the ministratum to boost morale and loyalty amongst the populace.

The narrative itself, has lots of action, Cain getting into near suicidal situations against his Will, Jurgen and his melta, an impending sector level threat, mechanicus being idiots, again. Plus, several sections of astartes ripping into tyranids, which is always a pleasure to read.

There is also intriguing additions to the tyranid lore. Wherein the hive mind, thought to be part of one unity super hive mind will still compete with rival 'tribes' of tyranids for precious biomass.

That's a neat read. As well as how they find new and unique solutions to deal with the problems at hand. At times it can feel a bit too convenient, deus ex machina. But that falls in line with the tone of the Cain novels.

As I draw towards the end of the currently published series of Caiphas Cain books, I'm hoping the final ones have more bang for the buck.

So, here's to the hero of the imperium, who suffers from a chronic case of the imposter syndrome.

[David Earle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only flaw in this book is that the Tau aren't used nearly as much as the cover suggests. On the other hand, it's another great Ciaphas Cain story and we finally get an explanation for that bolter he's always holding for the propaganda pics.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Commissar Ciaphas Cain is never far away from trouble. No matter how hard he might try to avoid dangerous situations he always finds himself smack bang in the middle of the most life threatening scenarios imaginable, and no where is that more clear than in 'The Greater Good'.

In this adventure we see Cain as the Commissariat Liaison to Lord General Zyvan. Arguably Cain has achieved the perfect position for himself within the army, he is far enough away from the enemy's guns to avoid being shot at and he is close enough to the chain of command so a warm cup of tanna is never far away. But things never go according to plan for the so called: "Hero Of The Imperium". A Tyranid Hive Fleet is bearing down on his small corner of the segmentum, set to devour all life that comes across it's path. Cain must use his rather undeserved reputation to negotiate a cease fire with the immediate threat of the Tau Empire, and then marshal the forces of this unsteady alliance against one of the worst threats the Imperium of Man has ever faced.

This guy can never catch a break!

Pulling every trick in the book to make sure he is behind allied lines when the assault comes, therefore avoiding certain death, Cain still manages to find himself knee deep in trouble. Trust is in short supply and he can't rely on his supposed allies. This means Cain finds himself in a life or death battle for survival, where no amount of wit and charisma will save him from a Tyranid digestion pool, only a heap of luck and a healthy dose of self preservation.

[Gordon Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inquisitor Amberley Vail presents, in the lovingly derisory tone she reserves for this subject, the latest volume of the extensive memoirs of Commissar Ciaphas Cain. All the familiar beats are present. Cain reluctantly allies with some of the same factions and individuals who have reluctantly allied with him in the past, facing scything talons and rending claws belonging to enemies so terrifying that even he need not exaggerate the horror. Through a series of narrow escapes, reckless escapades and witticisms about his sidekick's personal habits the reader is challenged to decide for themself whether Cain is a true hero or a coward who appears heroic by lucky dint of staying alive against the odds.

Nine books into a series that has very much found a formula that works, what this lacks in originality it makes up for in laughs, most notably Vail's frustration at Cain's unnecessarily sparse, inconsistent and contradicory descriptions of small details such as what variety of spaceship he spends much of the story aboard.

[wyett mosbrucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are the Tau the good guys?

[Adam Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Imperial planet of Quadravidia has come under attack by the Tau. Commissar Ciaphas Cain arrives to advise on the defence of the planet, after several previous encounters with the untrustworthy species. However, the Tau call an unexpected ceasefire in the face of a greater, mutual threat: an incoming Tyranid Hive Fleet. Cain's mission moves from combat to diplomacy as he has to broker a deal between the Tau and Imperium - the latter not known for its interstellar diplomacy - and then help defend the planet from the new alien menace.

We're back in the mayhem with the ninth novel of Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain series, in which the grim darkness of the far future is alleviated by the presence of the most self-preserving and undeserved glory-receiving specimen in the Imperium of Man.

The Greater Good puts Cain's reputation front and centre as he has to negotiate a peace deal between the Imperium - whose entire ideology is "shoot aliens in the face and never, ever talk to them," - and the Tau, a race dedicated to the somewhat nebulous concept of "the greater good." There's a degree of a comedy of manners here as the two species' highly incompatible ways of working clash with Cain trying to avoid war in the face of the greater Tyranid threat.

This stuff takes up a few chapters and then we're back to the battle front as bullets fly and large things explode spectacularly. Mitchell is accomplished at both the action and the black comedy sides of the setting (Cain sometimes feeling like the Only Sane Man in the entire barmy Warhammer 40,000 universe) and serves up both with aplomb here. Particularly entertaining are the deranged human scientists who think experimenting on live Tyranids is a good idea (spoiler: it isn't) and the Space Marines who worryingly agree with them.

There's a nice amount of variety to the story, as it moves from diplomacy to grim humour to action, although it does feel some ideas are left under-explored, such as the human inhabitants of the Tau Empire and how they regard the Imperium from a human, outsider perspective. There's also the usual advice that, although the omnibuses are most economical way to enjoy Cain's story, it's perhaps a good idea to read other things between the books, as Mitchell is perhaps less concerned than other authors in the setting with varying his prose style or characterisation between stories.

Still, this is an exciting action story with some laughs and some brief moments of thoughtful discussion. The Greater Good (****) is definitely one of the stronger entries to the series.

Also included in the Ciaphas Cain: Saviour of the Imperium omnibus is the long novella/short novel Old Soldiers Never Die (****), which is a fast-paced zombie story as Cain and his trusty Valhallan allies find themselves stuck on a planet beset by a particularly nasty Chaos curse. Ciaphas Cain vs. Zombies is just as good as it sounds on the tin, and the short format means the story doesn't outstay its welcome.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read all previous novels I would say that this one was a bit disappointing.
The reason is that I expected more Tau action or at lease presence and they are not even there for 90% of the book.

So what's this tale about? The war is brewing in the Damocles Gulf and the Tau are basically winning a war in a planet where Cain is. After being defeated the Tau approach Ciaphas and ask him a truce with the Imperium. The reason is unknown but after the innitial meeting we learn Tyranids are coming and they must be fight together to save Damocles (and fight one another).

One interesting unknow point is who decided fromt he Imperium they fcould accept peace or is this a sector governemnt representive or did the high lords of terra had any knowledge of this peace? Tau are only present in that sector - so if they were presented in other sectors would that be valid? Ah.. small questions but I remembering having after reading them.

Then as both Tau & Imperium start protecting their worlds a small representative force attach themselves to Ciaphas (the same with the Imperium on Tau world but we never learn anything).

Then there is a initial problem with machines and for 30 or so pages is the only place where imperium and tau (well 3 or 4) are fighting together. Afterwards they are almost absent fromt he book. They didn't die. They just went away in other part of the world.

We've got some glimpses of Reclaimers Space Marine Chapter, some more interesting points on Magos Biologis from the Adeptus Mechanicus and some interesting points on Tyranids mentality and physiology. Apart from that we almost have no grand action or great battle. We've got Ciaphas Cain trying to stay alive with Jurgen and it was very interesting to see his feelings towards Jurgen go a bit further.

Another interesting story, and we always know that the covers of the books are propaganda takes where he has a bolter and a chainsword whereas we always see him fight with a las-pistol & chainsword. Now we know where the bolter is from... So either, these pictures since the first novel are taken from his later years or something is wrong lol.

Either way.. It's not a bad book. I prefer per example Caves of Ice & For the Emperor better. Both had Tyranids and Tau and interesting or not both are connected to this novel.

Interesting or not of the 9 books I've read so far, the first 6 I gave 4 stars and the last three I gave 3. So... only one more book to go and the series is over (unless they write more stories... )

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the Ciaphas Cain novels almost write themselves at this point, and if you've read everything up to here, you aren't going to read anything groundbreaking or that breaks the mold. It's pretty much the cozy read of the dystopian grimdark miliary science fantasy genre. Story-wise, the Imperium (in general) and Commissar Cain (in particular) are about to lose a frontier world to the Tau when the Tau surprise the Imperium by offering an immediate ceasefire/truce because there's this LITTLE problem called Hive Fleet Leviathan bearing down on the Damocles Gulf and unless the Imperium and Tau set aside their little squabble and do what they can to defend their worlds, well... the Tyranid will eat well and everyone else will be dead. Thanks to a scout report provided by the Tau, the Imperium knows the general direction the hive fleet is headed so they set about fortifying their most important world in the sector, a forge world without which their forces will soon face insurmountable logistics issues trying to defend the sector. Of course, that means trying to work with the Mechanicus, and even beyond their usual frustratingly quirky borderline insane behavior, the local cogboys are being a real pain despite the fact that the Imperial Guard is trying their best to protect their world. It soon transpires that the Mechanius is being extra squirrelly because they're messing with things that are almost certain to end in disaster, not that THEY would admit that. Yet with the forge world cut off and facing a massive invasion of the all-consuming Tyranids, Cain may have no choice but to make use of the Mecanicus's unconventional research to turn the tide. So this is a standard Cain vs. Tyranid/Genestealer novel, nothing really new conceptually, but it's a fun quick read and if it isn't a standout of the series, it's still a good time with plenty of the Jeeves and Wooster-esque charm that is one of the series strong points. In fact, my biggest problem isn't the lack of novelty, it's the rather underwhelming use of the Tau, who seem like they're going to be a big part of the story (and since this is only the second time they've shown up in Cain's stories, potentially a more original addition), but they're barely there despite what the cover shows. All in all, I'd give it 7/10 stars, rounding up to 4/5.

[Luke Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caiphas Cain returns in his ninth adventure, and while it's not quite what I was expecting/hoping for, it still makes for an entertaining read as the Hero of the Imperium strives to save the day and keep his own hide intact...

"Trapped and facing a last stand on the embattled world of Quadrividia, the Imperial defenders, including Commissar Caiphas Cain, can't believe their luck when the invading forces of the Tau Empire request a cease fire. But their relief is short-lived when the reason why becomes apparent; a colossal Tyranid fleet is approaching the borders of Imperial and Tau space, threatening both empires. Cain swiftly finds himself redeployed to the forge world of Fecundia, the most tactically significant world in the sector, supplying weapons, ammo and armaments to the garrisons of the surrounding Imperial worlds; if it falls to the tyranids, half the sector will go with it. As Cain tries to whip Fecundia's meagre defences into shape, he discovers to his horror the planet's tech-priests have been running a secretive research project that could have disastrous consequences for the defence of Fecundia before the tyranids even make planetfall..."

A little disappointing that there was not more conflict between Cain and the Tau (who are one of the few 40K adversaries he's not had a full novel battling against) and some elements of the story are a bit slow moving and convoluted, but overall, the winning formula that keeps these books so entertaining proves its worth again as Cain and the ever-faithful Jurgen keep jumping from the frying pan into the fire, along with some interesting backstory ideas about the 41st millennium I didn't see coming...Not a favourite of mine in the series, but still a good addition to it...

[Mike Sheehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review by Han Solo

The Greater Good (Ciaphas Cain #9) is another solid entry in the ongoing saga of everyone’s favorite reluctant hero. Cain’s still doing what he does best—trying to survive the horrors of the 41st millennium with a stiff drink in one hand and a bolt pistol in the other. And once again, he ends up looking like a legend while running from certain death. Classic.

This time, he’s stuck between Imperial bureaucracy and the ever-murky intentions of the Tau. The setup’s promising, and the banter between Cain and Jurgen still hits the mark—grimy charm, deadpan delivery, and enough battlefield chaos to keep things moving. The action’s there. The wit is there. But something feels… a bit by the numbers.

It doesn’t quite hit the highs of earlier installments. The stakes never feel fully gripping, and the Tau, while conceptually interesting, don’t bring quite the same punch as the Imperium’s usual nightmares. It’s more of a “shuffle the pieces” story than a game-changer. Fun, sure—but a little too safe.

3 out of 5 stars. Entertaining, familiar, and good for a few laughs—but Cain’s danced this dance before, and this time it’s a little short on rhythm.

[Heinz Reinhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have read one Ciaphas Cain novel, you honestly have read most of the others.
The series is formulaic, and while it works, usually entertainingly well, sometimes it falls a little flat.
This one wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, either. And it seems as though Cain primarily faces off against Tyranids (as here) or Orks (most of the other stories not dealing with Tyranids as the threat). This means that some of these tend to run together with the others as they are simply too similar.
This one had it's humorous moments, and it had enough action to keep the pace rapid. But it was just too much like most of the other Cain novels that came before.
Good for a once through, possibly won't make my reread list.
Still not a bad offering if you are already a Cain fan.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Ciaphas Cain series and I enjoyed this novel. But it felt like a bait and switch. It’s called “The Greater Good.” The cover features Cain and a Fire Warrior fighting Tyranids together. The story itself sets up a grand alliance of Imperium and Tau pausing their conflict to fend off a hive fleet. …and then they go their separate ways to see to their own worlds and we end up hanging out with Tech-Priests and some Space Marines. I think this is the first time this series has disappointed me. It still has all the other elements of his stories that I love, so I still enjoyed it. But it could’ve been better.

[Ian Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I’m a huge fan of the series, I think this may have been the weakest entry. It’s still a pretty good novel but I would say it is overshadowed by every other book.

My biggest gripe with it is probably that the title and cover art had me thinking this would be an exciting adventure involving the Tau but they were hardly in the book. I think the Tau were probably featured more prominently in “For the Emperor”, which is a shame as I was quite excited to see a further exploration of Tau/Imperial relations.

[Kirt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Done at 40% my below comment stands

About 15% into The Greater Good by Sandy Mitchell, and I’m finding it a challenging read due to the constant interruptions from the narrator. These frequent asides, where every little detail is over-explained, completely break the immersion and make it difficult to stay engaged with the story. While I appreciate some context or humor from a narrator, the sheer volume of interruptions feels unnecessary and disrupts the flow of the plot.

I’m hoping the book improves as I continue, but right now, the constant commentary is making it hard to enjoy the story or connect with the characters. It feels like the narrative is being derailed every few paragraphs, which is frustrating for an otherwise promising entry in the Ciaphas Cain series.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cain and Jurgen are forced to work with the enemy to fight the bigger enemy- and adventures past come back to haunt Cain's life long quest for light duty and leisure. Forever forced to live up to his reputation and keep his head, luckily he has Jurgen to cover his back and get him a cup of tanna. I look forward to book ten in the series. Check it out.

[Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cain's greatest strength is getting forces to work together. The Tau are NO exception. A tyranid invasion on a critical world, Quadravidia, is likely. Getting the Tau to ally with the Empire is the easy part. Dealing with the tech priests may be a lot more dangerous...

Cain is in deep stuff.

[Dev S · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a couple of mediocre entries, this is a real return to form. It's not even using the crutches of Vail or the 598th which shows how strong a character pairing Cain and Jürgen can be. Giving Cain legitimate authority in this novel really aids the story and twists it away from some of the more repetitive tropes of the series.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick impressions: Overall, the novel maintains its formula, but it may feel at times a bit too close to previous works. Pacing is not consistent, which is why it took me a while to read it, but the humor is good. The book is entertaining, but it does not feel memorable, and there was an opportunity or two missed. I liked it, but I feel it could have been better.

(Full review on my blog)

[Bookcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keep Jurgen safe! He is an Imperial treasure! Oh yeah, Tau. I honestly had no real prior opinion about that faction and, other than xenophobic reasons, they're not bad potential allies for the Imperium. I mean, considering the alternatives. Not a fan of the Eldar. Stuck up snooty chaos god inducing space elves. 😑

[Sebastiaan Vanbesien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another adventure for the Hero of the Imperium (™️)! Whilest The Greater Good doesn’t do anything new or special compared to the previous entries in the series, I can assure you that if you loved those you’ll probably like this outing of Caiphas Cain and Jurgen, just as much. I wish the Tau part of the story had more depth to it, but overal another very enjoyable book!

[C Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good entry in the series that, like many of the better ones, benefits from a tighter focus (both in terms of plot, cast, and location). The addition of the Tau, and the insight into Tyranid biology, all very interesting to a 40k anorak like me.

[Ned Leffingwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. There was a lot of action and I liked the inclusion of footnotes. There was not as much Imperium/Tau cooperation as I thought there was going to be. Instead, the story is mainly Imperium vs. Tyranids. The constant laser fire kept me entertained.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun Ciaphas Cain adventure with Tyranids and the Tau, it was good but not one of my favourites in the series - there wasn't anything that makes it stand out from the others, but I think if anyone enjoyed his other books they'd also like this one too.

[Robert Furlong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of Caine working with the T'au again made me hope that it would be a bit of a refresher to get the series to start feeling fresh again. However, the T'au ended up barely factoring into the story and the book was just yet another iteration of Caine vs. the 'nids.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forge world vs. tyranids! There's barely any tau (excuse me, T'au) involved at all! Cover's a bit of a troll, but still a fun book.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent action packed account of Cain vs. the Tyranids sprinkled with Space Marines and cogboys. The familiar elements are there and comfortably ensconced.

[Ty Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, nothing especially new to the series. Same Cain, Same behaviors, redundant plot devices, still entertaining.